Heaven On Fire

Ten

I stood at the veranda of my room beside of their room and watched them as they packed their things. Before that big day the news had spread around so seriously that everyone would be left confused: Deniel was crazy enough with her uncertainties and had canceled the marvelous wedding of the decade. The couple gave each of us a silent treatment. No explanations had been said.

Kurt had to settle the bills before they fly to Isle of Sky to think. As I said my farewell to them, in my mind I hoped that this lovebirds may arrive at the best solution as soon as possible. I had been clumsy and absent-minded these days. I couldn't find my phone anywhere.

But the guy whom I met in my first night here had been patient helping me. He turned out to be Lance. I can't remember anything more. A housekeeper had entered the scene as she kept things up and accompanied lance looking for my phone. I remembered the very last time I ever since I talked to Benj. He had gone missing. How alike he and this man were. How very different.

*****

In the dark part of the room where I stayed for almost a month, a fluorescent bar light buzzed just behind my bed. As dawn approached it was the only light in the room until Tita Alyan walked in.

"Kain ka na," Tita Alyan said. "Hindi naman sa pinagtatabuyan kita ha."

And so I gone up.

"Ano po ba yun, Tita?" I said, nakabangon na.

"May problema ka ba, Loren?" She asked.

"Wala naman po, Tita. Babalik na din naman po ako sa States. Since tinawagan naman na po ako nung hospital na pinag-applyan ko," Sabi ko nalang.

"Ah. Nagtataka lang kase ako kung bakit nandito ka pa. Nung nakaraan pa nga umalis yung bestfriend mo."

Ang totoo, ayoko lang talaga umuwi. I don't know either. I just don't feel going back anytime soon.

"May hinanda akong pagkain sa apartment ko. Punta ka nalang dun. Okay ba yun?" Sinabi niya bago siya lumabas.

"Opo, Tita. Susunod na po."

Kaagad naman akong sumunod. Gutom na talaga ako eh. Ngunit wala pang sampung minuto, may sumisigaw na kaagad sa pangalan ko.

"Punyeta! Nakakalimang subo palang ako eh!" Dinabog ko ang kutsarang hawak ko.
"Baket? Ano ba yun?"

"May tumutunog sa loob ng kwarto mo! Dalian mo! Baka importante!" Itong Lance na 'to, nakakabwiset talaga.

I rushed into my room. Lance was waiting for me.

"Oh bakit ayaw mo pa umalis? Dun kana!" Naaasar kong sabi.

"Aalis na nga. Heto na," Bumulong pa ito bago tuluyang umalis.
"Sungit naman nito."

Hindi ko na pinansin. Di naman bago sa'kin na masabihan eh. I took my phone and answered it.

"Ma?" I asked. "Bakit po?"

"Where have you been?" She asked as I took a sip on my cup of coffee.

"Dito pa din sa Cebu. Bakit? Ano ba yun?"

I put the coffee down, switched on my notepad.

"Someone called here. Saying na mag-report kana sa Pennsylvania Office ASAP."
"Umuwi kana dito," Mama said. "Kamusta ang tiyan mo, 'Nak?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Ma, stop telling me what to do!"

My mother was stunned when I accidentally yelled at her, I apologized. I looked myself in front of the mirror.